Spain is a country richly steeped
in Catholic tradition, and Easter occupies one of
the most prominent places on the holiday calendar.
The fiesta spills out over an entire week, the Semana
Santa, and culminates in the observance of Easter
on Sunday. Parades are held throughout the country
during the week, but they have a decidedly solemn
air with parade marchers dressed in hooded cloaks
and observers often wearing clothes of mourning. As
the week moves into Sunday, though, the tempo becomes
much more upbeat as families and friends gather to
observe the day of Easter by eating sweet treats like
chocolate eggs and fried cakes.
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Chef Ramón Freixa of El Raco d’en Freixa
has a long family tradition in Catalonia, an area known during
Easter for its elaborate tarts and giant chocolate sculptures.
His restaurant, El Raco d’en Freixa, was run
by his father before him, and his grandparents were local
bread makers. Chef Ramón’s presence in the kitchen
has produced progressive Spanish cuisine, such as the “snacks,”
or high-concept tapas, that he serves as appetizers. He still
honors the past, though, by focusing on traditional Mediterranean
ingredients like olives and bread, as evidenced by the most
tempting breadbasket in Barcelona. Here are some of his dishes
put together in an Easter menu with progressive Spanish flare,
including recipes with Iberian pork sausage and calçots,
an onion variety found in northern Spain that reaches the
end of its season around Easter.